PROVO, Utah – The honor code is a topic that comes up often when players transfer to the Cougars. Newest BYU basketball transfer Matt Haarms sees the honor code as something that will help him.

Some fans believe it is holding the Cougars back from achieving greater success. However you feel about it, the honor code is here to stay.

Purdue graduate transfer Matt Haarms joined Cougar Sports Saturday last week to discuss his decision to join the BYU basketball family. He mentioned the honor code as something that can help him as a basketball player.

“I see it as something that as a basketball player and athlete, I want to live by already. It’s something I feel like benefits me. Those rules are a part of being disciplined and part of living a clean life.”

ICYMI: Matt Haarms joined us on Cougar Sports Saturday. I came away from this interview believing that he will make a massive difference for the Cougars next season. #BYU ⁦@kslsports⁩ #GoCougs https://t.co/w10B2MH3nr

— Matthew Baiamonte (@baiamontematt) May 4, 2020

“When I was at Purdue, there were a lot of things as a team we were trying to implement as guidelines that were very similar to those (BYU) rules,” said Haarms.

Coach Mark Pope talks often about being relentless in recruiting while identifying prospects who can thrive at BYU. They have certainly found that in Haarms, who was named the most impactful fifth-year transfer over the weekend by famous college basketball voice Dick Vitale.

My Dickie V sports Chatter for today / yes @SetonHallMBB @BYUbasketball @HarvardMBB @OhioStateHoops @ZagMBB pic.twitter.com/5cr7Dq63AV

— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) May 2, 2020

The Cougars had tremendous success last season bringing in transfers. Jake Toolson was fantastic, as was Alex Barcello, a transfer from the University of Arizona. He started all 32 games while playing over 30 minutes a game. The third highest number on the team behind Toolson and TJ Haws.

BYU Basketball Tranfer Matt Haarms Fills Out Roster

The Cougars would like to add one more guard to join Haarms to complete the roster for next season.

“I feel like we are doing the right then when we are recruiting against good teams,” said Pope. “It means you’re probably hanging out in the right part of the portal.”

Haarms joins a BYU team with tons of size. Gavin Baxter, Kolby Lee, Richard Harward, Wyatt Lowell, and Haarms will provide the Cougars an opportunity to be elite defensive team, with Haarms anchoring the defense with his superior rim protection. He’s averaged over two blocks a game in his first three seasons.

“He’s such a fascinating human being,” said Pope on Haarms. “He’s got so much goodness to him. I just want to bring everybody and sit down and have lunch with this kid, of course respecting social distancing, so they can get to know him, because he’s spectacular.

He’ll have to earn his playing time with so much returning talent.

“They haven’t promised me anything,” said Haarms. “I really like that about them. They tell me I can be a huge part of this team, but it’s up to me to work for it.”

You can hear Cougar Sports Saturday on KSL Newsradio or download the podcast here.